6x14 Build Log

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby tylerjd » Fri Jul 28, 2017 8:45 am

Just purchased a Tekonsha P3 controller. :thumbsup:

My tow vehicle is a 2000 Tacoma, which never came with a factory tow package. I assume that means the 4-flat was installed by a previous owner and they had to dig around under the dash to get it wired properly.

Also, the 4-flat wiring currently does *not* work - I know the trailer brake lights work because they did when I picked it up with a rental truck, but when I plug my Taco into it, no dice. No voltage coming out of the 4-flat either. So I'll have to dig around and troubleshoot the existing truck wiring to get it all sorted.
6x14 CTC Build Log: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=68975
Off-site Build Summary: http://tylerjdisney.com/serenity
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby tylerjd » Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:57 am

Update:

Hit the frame with POR-15 Metal Prep this morning.
Image

Final step will be actually applying the POR-15 paint, which will be tricky, because it says it needs the frame to be "bone dry", and it's monsoon season here, meaning it rains every afternoon at minimum. Might have to rig up an umbrella or something...

On Wednesday I picked up my solar system from a guy in CO. I'm amped.
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Now all I have to do is figure out how to put it all together...

Also I started building the frame for my composting toilet last night, then ran out of screws. I'll post pictures of that once it comes along.
6x14 CTC Build Log: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=68975
Off-site Build Summary: http://tylerjdisney.com/serenity
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby hankaye » Sat Jul 29, 2017 9:46 am

tylerjd, Howdy;

tylerjd wrote:Just purchased a Tekonsha P3 controller. :thumbsup:

My tow vehicle is a 2000 Tacoma, which never came with a factory tow package. I assume that means the 4-flat was installed by a previous owner and they had to dig around under the dash to get it wired properly.

Also, the 4-flat wiring currently does *not* work - I know the trailer brake lights work because they did when I picked it up with a rental truck, but when I plug my Taco into it, no dice. No voltage coming out of the 4-flat either. So I'll have to dig around and troubleshoot the existing truck wiring to get it all sorted.


4 prong plug probably spliced in near a tail light.

Check owner's manual for fuse locations for trailer package and see if the fuses are there.

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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby Padilen » Sat Jul 29, 2017 12:18 pm

Since I was under mine I measured axle to the ground. 8".

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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby tylerjd » Sun Jul 30, 2017 7:29 pm

hankaye wrote:
4 prong plug probably spliced in near a tail light.

hank


Ah, right you are, found it tucked up behind the driver's side tail light. I also found 12v coming out of my 4-flat truck-side, so I guess the issue is on the trailer side. EDIT: It occurs to me that I might simply have a bad connection at the plugs. Both of them are pretty corroded and mucked up, and there isn't an obvious issue with the wiring on the trailer side. Might just need to clean/replace the actual plugs.

While I was under there I properly grounded my backup cam, which had been "grounded" to the bolt holding the license plate on. Steady as a rock now.

Padilen wrote:Since I was under mine I measured axle to the ground. 8".

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Ah, cheers, I measured mine and it's the same, 8". I'm starting to reconsider just getting that spring-over kit and installing brakes. Worst case scenario is I break it somewhere, have to get rescued, and replace it with a beefier straight axle anyways, right?

Progress:

Yesterday I POR-15'd the entire frame, and topcoated the bits exposed to sun with a few coats of rustoleum.
Image

The prep work took me about a week, and I'm hoping was the least fun part of this whole process. The existing frame was a mix of solidly bonded paint, flaking paint, rust, and road tar flung up onto rust and paint. This was my process:
.Strip the paint off with several coats of Citristrip (took me a couple tries to figure out the right method with that stuff, definitely wasted a few days and quarts of stripper learning that lesson). Coat with citristrip, let soak for 15-30 minutes, scrape off with a scraper, repeat until the paint is gone. Use denatured alcohol to get rid of dried on Citristrip gunk. I have a feeling that Citristrip is one of the weakest paint strippers I could have used and is one of the reasons it took me so long, but all the warnings of the methyl chloride strippers scared me off.
.Wire brush the whole thing to get rid of loose rust, tar, any remaining paint bits, etc.
.A coat of POR-15 Cleaner/Degreaser, then rinse.
.A coat of POR-15 Metal Ready, then rinse.
.Two coats of POR-15 rust preventative paint. Second coat went on when the first coat was dry to "finger drag", which happened to be about 2 minutes after I finished the first coat.

I also hit all the wall ribs (including the rear door) with 2 coats of rustoleum spray paint (after wire brushing all loose rust off). Most of the ribs weren't painted except for at the tops and bottoms where the customer could see them. :thumbdown:

Yesterday and today I got the plywood subfloor prepped for re-installation:
.Wire brush the paint and gunk off the bottoms.
.Wire brush the gunk off the topsides. Pretty sure this trailer had been used as a general purpose hauler on a ranch in north dakota... I detected some odors that reminded me of my high school job mucking stables and bucking hay.
.Four coats of boiled linseed oil on the bottom side and edges.
.Two coats of boiled linseed oil on the topside.
.After I re-install them I'm going to proflexRV caulk the holes from the nail/screws I had to rip out to pull the floor (and all around the edges).

Image

I did a lot of reading on what people do to their subfloors, all the way from fiberglass resin, to various epoxies, to paints, to just "leave it alone". Boiled linseed oil is one of the mellower approaches I think, but since I live in the Southwest and don't intend on any more than short visits to places like the Pacific Northwest or the East Coast, serious underbody moisture armor is probably overkill.

The main thing with combating floor rot seems to be ensuring no water is getting to it from above, via leaks, rather than any treatment you do of the floor, anyways.

Final plug, for anyone reading this anticipating doing similar work: the best two pieces of gear I used in the last week were a respirator with organic filters and chem goggles. I'd probably be blind and on an iron lung by now if it weren't for those, particularly crawling around under the frame (on my gravel driveway no less) smearing metal 2" from my face with toxic chemicals.
6x14 CTC Build Log: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=68975
Off-site Build Summary: http://tylerjdisney.com/serenity
If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby Padilen » Sun Jul 30, 2017 7:56 pm

Or axle less torsion type.

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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby fourbtgait » Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:24 pm

Padilen wrote:Or axle less torsion type.

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I loved the torsion axles on my gooseneck stock trailer for hauling horses up into the mountains of Montana. They were even drop axles on a Featherlite trailer. Roads that had gullies washed into them and never missed a beat nor beat up the horses.
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby Iconfabul8 » Mon Jul 31, 2017 1:18 am

Just a little thought on axel flipping. Axles have caster, camber and tow in built into the geometry. If you flip it you will reverse the tow in and camber. However, if you flip and turn it end for end, it will fix the toe in but reverses the caster. Camber on the other hand is created by a factory bend in the axle and will always be wrong if upside down. Moral of this story is if your axle is upside down, more than likely, the geometry is going to be wrong. IMHO If you need more height there are better methods, (new axle, bigger tires, springs on top, springs on top w/blocks? longer shackles etc.)
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby Padilen » Mon Jul 31, 2017 6:35 am

Iconfabul8 wrote:Just a little thought on axel flipping. Axles have caster, camber and tow in built into the geometry. If you flip it you will reverse the tow in and camber. However, if you flip and turn it end for end, it will fix the toe in but reverses the caster. Camber on the other hand is created by a factory bend in the axle and will always be wrong if upside down. Moral of this story is if your axle is upside down, more than likely, the geometry is going to be wrong. IMHO If you need more height there are better methods, (new axle, bigger tires, springs on top, springs on top w/blocks? longer shackles etc.)

Except an axle flip isn't flipping the axle. With the Dexter kit you only switch where springs mount. Giving you either over slung or under slung.
https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Access ... _Axle.aspx
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby tylerjd » Thu Aug 03, 2017 6:30 pm

Update:

The subfloor is basically in, although I wound up replacing one of the panels with new plywood. Still have to screw it in.
Image

I insulated and plywooded the rear door. Used 3/8" plywood, as I'll be putting 3/4" pine planks over it and am hoping to get near what the old door weight was, so the door raiser tension thing is about right.
Image

Image

I also started digging in to my solar system components and trying to understand them all.
Image

I generated this diagram as a first pass. The bits that are most unclear to me revolve around the AC/DC distribution panel (the only major component I don't have yet). I'm not sure if shore power goes into the distro panel, or straight into my inverter/charger. Since my inverter/charger *can* take shore power straight in to it, I guess I'm not sure why I would want shore power going through the panel first...
Image
6x14 CTC Build Log: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=68975
Off-site Build Summary: http://tylerjdisney.com/serenity
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby tylerjd » Thu Aug 03, 2017 6:34 pm

Oh right, another piece I haven't figured out yet is how to mount my panels. They're ~30" x 60", and my roof is curved, so I think the small brackets I have aren't going to work because they won't life the panels high enough to clear the roof curvature. I will be mounting my panels "sideways", so the panel long axis is perpendicular to the trailer long axis.

So I'm considering installing ladder racks, but those are expensive - $240 or so for one set on the internet, which seems a bit insane. I feel I could probably do fine with some custom unistrut, but am still fishing for ideas.
6x14 CTC Build Log: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=68975
Off-site Build Summary: http://tylerjdisney.com/serenity
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby Iconfabul8 » Thu Aug 03, 2017 7:23 pm

Padilen wrote:
Iconfabul8 wrote:Just a little thought on axel flipping. Axles have caster, camber and tow in built into the geometry. If you flip it you will reverse the tow in and camber. However, if you flip and turn it end for end, it will fix the toe in but reverses the caster. Camber on the other hand is created by a factory bend in the axle and will always be wrong if upside down. Moral of this story is if your axle is upside down, more than likely, the geometry is going to be wrong. IMHO If you need more height there are better methods, (new axle, bigger tires, springs on top, springs on top w/blocks? longer shackles etc.)

Except an axle flip isn't flipping the axle. With the Dexter kit you only switch where springs mount. Giving you either over slung or under slung.
https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Access ... _Axle.aspx
Image

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Exactly! It was late when I wrote this, I guess what I was wanting to say is, the term "flipping" is misleading. I just rambled a bit explaining why.
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby Padilen » Thu Aug 03, 2017 7:48 pm

Your weight for ramp it shouldn't matter that much. If it does, it'll close faster so hang on.

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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby Snakebite » Fri Aug 04, 2017 7:57 am

Hi with the kitchen in the rear if you have a ramp have the kitchen swing out that's what I'm going to try to do with my trailer.
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Re: 6x14 Build Log

Postby tylerjd » Fri Aug 04, 2017 9:33 am

Snakebite wrote:Hi with the kitchen in the rear if you have a ramp have the kitchen swing out that's what I'm going to try to do with my trailer.


That's a cool idea! My kitchen is actually forward a bit, with the bed/table/benches in the rear by the door. Will be interested to see your build.
6x14 CTC Build Log: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=68975
Off-site Build Summary: http://tylerjdisney.com/serenity
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